RealGM

Normally I am more of a contributing poster than thread starter but this espn article regarding D-Wade's injuries caught my attention:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3186630

I have long been on record that D-Wade is not and never will be the player that Paul Pierce is, and the #1 reason is durability. Paul Pierce is a rarity in sports, a truly gifted player that is also blessed with a supremely solid and durable body. D-Wade has many skills and a giant heart, but for the position and style that he plays he just doesnt have the body to last. I do not dislike Wade as a player, far from it, but I do not look at him as an upper echelon franchise player and never have. To be a franchise player, you need to be there night in and night out for a decade, or project to be so. Lebron for example. One look at the guy and you know that barring major knee injury he is going to take the punishment and come back year after year. Duncan is another example. Kidd was that way. The list goes on and one. Dwight Howard is a guy that his team can build around- to me Wade is not and never was that guy and the Heat are paying the price for it. He was a bright star to be sure, but that star is never going to burn as bright again as it once did. Sure, like any established star he will get his 10-14 freethrows a game and average 20+ pts when he plays, but can anyone argue anymore that he is better than Paul Pierce? I certainly hope not....

Put it on the player comparison board and see the results you get

Flash is the Future wrote:Put it on the player comparison board and see the results you get

ya, theyve all been brainwashed like you.

if Wade went through the benzino incident. . OMG, could you even begin to imagine the vigils, commercials, tributes. . . hed miss like 3 years with that injury

I think Flash is better than Paul. He is a much better passer and can score at an even higher rate. i like flashes game a ton. I just wish he could stay on the court.

I say that anyone who thinks Pierce is better than Wade is delusional, and this is coming from a Celtic fan with a personal Pierce man crush. That being said, I would rather Pierce for this team, and I do believe that Wade will not get back to his 2006 playoff form. All things point at him becoming the next Penny Hardaway. I hope it does not come to that

DatBoyWonder wrote:I say that anyone who thinks Pierce is better than Wade is delusional, and this is coming from a Celtic fan with a personal Pierce man crush. That being said, I would rather Pierce for this team, and I do believe that Wade will not get back to his 2006 playoff form. All things point at him becoming the next Penny Hardaway. I hope it does not come to that

I dont get it- in sentence one you disagree with me 100%, and the rest of the sentences agree with me 100%.

"Lebron for example. One look at the guy and you know that barring major knee injury he is going to take the punishment and come back year after year."

are we talking about the same player?

didn't lebron sit out like 7 games this season for a sprained finger -- on his non-shooting hand?

You do know that Wade has played this season right? He got surgery for the stuff in that article months ago. He's averaged 25-5-7 on 48% shooting and has played almost every game this season.

Come on

BobbySura wrote:"Lebron for example. One look at the guy and you know that barring major knee injury he is going to take the punishment and come back year after year."

are we talking about the same player?

didn't lebron sit out like 7 games this season for a sprained finger -- on his non-shooting hand?

If it was the playoffs, he would have played. There is no reason for the Cavs not to be overly cautious with Lebron. He is the Cavs. Why risk even 0.0001% of further injury to Lebron over some early season games?

i'm not a fan of d-wade

with risk of sounding "delusional", i'll withhold commenting

BobbySura wrote:"Lebron for example. One look at the guy and you know that barring major knee injury he is going to take the punishment and come back year after year."

are we talking about the same player?

didn't lebron sit out like 7 games this season for a sprained finger -- on his non-shooting hand?

finger injury < destroyed shoulder, bad knees and bad back

You must be insane to think Pierce is better than Dwayne Wade.

Finals MVP by year 3 >>>>>>> 4 playoff appearences in 9 years, never made in to NBA Finals.

ljp24 wrote:You must be insane to think Pierce is better than Dwayne Wade.

Finals MVP by year 3 >>>>>>> 4 playoff appearences in 9 years, never made in to NBA Finals.

i think Shaq had a little bit to do with Wade's final's success...am I wrong? one of the 3 most dominant players EVER on your team might help out a tad? just a bit?

You must be insane to think Pierce is better than Dwayne Wade.

Finals MVP by year 3 >>>>>>> 4 playoff appearences in 9 years, never made in to NBA Finals.

Really now? Take SHAQ off that team and Wade doesn't bring that team out of the first round. Take a look at Pierces first three or 4 years in the league. He brought the Celtics to the ECF with Antoine Walker and if anyone compares TOINE to SHAQ im never coming to this site again.

i love how all the fans shaq's running mates (kobe and wade) always try to diminish the fact that when shaq is on the court, even if he only does produce 13 and 8 like he did in the finals for miami, it makes the game 100 times easier for the swingmen

Shaq is the only reason the Miami won the title that year. You replace Wade with Pierce, Ray Allen, T-Mac, VC or any of those guys and they still win it all.

tombattor wrote:Shaq and the refs are the only reasons the Miami won the title that year. You replace Wade with Pierce, Ray Allen, T-Mac, VC or any of those guys and they still win it all.

Fixed.

But yes, I agree with you and the thread starter. I think, for a star, PP is pretty underrated. I'd rather him than VC, TMac, Wade, or Ray.

Wade is a great player, but he's also the product of marketing.

For the record, I'm a Knicks fan.

Wade=Penny with a better supporting cast